A network is a series of devices which are connected together and can communicate with each other, normally via an Ethernet connection or Wi-Fi. This could be part of a local area network (LAN) using a switch or router, or devices which are connected directly to each other. 

Network Basics

When setting up a network there are some fundamental requirements that must be considered. 

• Each device has an address, called the "IP address".
• Each IP address in a network must be unique. Do not use the same IP address twice.
• An IP address consists of 4 number blocks (each having a value between 0 and 255) separated by a period, e.g. 192.168.1.100
• In local networks, IP addresses usually start with 192.168.x.x (this is a reserved address space not used in the Internet).
• When two devices in a local network (e.g. computer and timing system) want to communicate with each other, they should be in the same subnet, i.e. they need to have the same first three blocks of the IP address (but different fourth block!), e.g.
  Timing System: 192.168.1.201
  Computer 1: 192.168.1.101
  Computer 2: 192.168.1.102

Automatic (DHCP) vs. Fixed (Static) IP

IP address can either be assigned automatically or fixed to specific values, which option you choose will primarily depend on the setup of your network. 

When connecting devices to a network which contains a router, such as your wi-fi network at home or the office, the router will usually assign IP addresses automatically using a technique called DHCP. This is the preferred method of working as the DHCP server will ensure that the same IP address is not assigned twice and is the default setting on all operating systems and RACE RESULT hardeare.

When connecting systems without a router (e.g. direct connection between computer and system, or local network using an unmanaged switch), static IP addresses need to be assigned to both the timing system and computer. For RACE RESULT systems refer to the network settings menu for the system to set a static IP address if required.